Strengths: He's an extremely gifted offensive player, with a great shot, tremendous one-on-one moves and good finishing ability. He averaged 33 goals over five seasons before slipping to just 21 in 2011-12.

Weaknesses: He's not particularly strong on the puck despite his decent size. He's not strong defensively. He's missed a lot of games over the years with a variety of injuries. But the biggest concern about him is his commitment. He doesn't play hard consistently and is prone to disappearing for long stretches.

Notable: He had 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 30 playoff games over the past three seasons, after picking up 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in his first 21 playoff games.

Why he would interest the Red Wings: They need a sniper. And if they don't land New Jersey's Zach Parise, the options are limited. But they are wary of Semin's baggage. If he had trouble getting motivated playing on a club with Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, would it be any different in Detroit? And would his incentive wane even more after signing a long-term deal?

How he could fit in with the Red Wings: The Russian native would, no doubt, be taking passes from fellow countryman Pavel Datsyuk. He didn't kill penalties in Washington but claims he wants to play in all situations.

What it might take to get him: He'll need to take a pay cut, even in a weak free-agent field, and probably get between $5.5 million and $6 million a season on a long-term deal.

If the Red Wings don't land Parise, is signing Semin to a long-term contract worth the risk?